Liberation of Paal

The Liberation of Paal (October 1944) was a battle of World War II that occurred when the French Army assaulted and captured the German army base at Paal, Belgium. The French advanced towards the Albert Canal after taking Diest from the Germans, intending on securing the German-held towns on the south bank of the Demer River; the Germans held Paal, Hasselt, Bilzen, Tongeren, Hannut, Bouillet, Huy, and Liege in that corridor. The French assaulted Paal first, and they faced heavy resistance; 330 people died during the fighting for Paal. The liberation of Paal split the German forces, with the 2nd and 3rd Kampfgruppen of the German 20th Infantry Division falling back to Hasselt and the 1st Kampfgruppe and the divisional headquarters falling back to Leopoldsburg on the north bank of the Demer.